Make Roses Out of Fall Leaves

Now that it’s September, the leaves will start their annual changing of the colors. Well, maybe not here in Los Angeles, where the temperatures were in the 90s this week. But in the rest of the country, autumn leaves are dropping. So what does one do with all these leaves besides raking them? Here’s a creative use — transform them into roses. Big maple leaves work best. I actually used artificial maple leaves I bought from the crafts store because I couldn’t find the real thing. If you do this project with real leaves, be sure to use the newly fallen ones, as they will be more pliable. These autumn-hued leaf roses would be perfect for upcoming Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot decorations.

1. Fold one leaf in half horizontally. Keep the flat, folded edge at the top.

2. Place the end of the twig at one end.

3. Roll the folded leaf completely around the twig.

4. Repeat with five more leaves until you have a tight rose bud. Hold onto the bottom with your fingers to keep the leaves in place.

5. Wrap three unfolded leaves around the rose bud.

6. Bind all the leaves to the twig with a twist tie.

Jonathan Fong is the author of “Flowers That Wow” and “Parties That Wow,” and host of “Style With a Smile” on YouTube. You can see more of his do-it-yourself projects at jonathanfongstyle.com.